45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

REQUESTING THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH A PRESCHOOL THROUGH POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR AN INTEGRATED PRESCHOOL THROUGH POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM.

WHEREAS, throughout the country, individual states and local communities are looking for ways to improve student performance and access to college by creating a "seamless system of education" in which all levels of education coordinate, communicate and educate as one system, commonly called P-16 initiatives; and

WHEREAS, several states have initiated a voluntary and cooperative relationship between state boards of education and higher education systems that are seen as the success behind these initiatives; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico's major priorities for education are improving student achievement and having a qualified teacher in every classroom; and

WHEREAS, research indicates that an effective way of ensuring student learning is through an education system that begins in early childhood and ends with completion of college or success in the work force, and promotes access, accountability and lifelong learning opportunities for children and adults; and

WHEREAS, the teacher education accountability council, established by the commission on higher education and the state board of education as a result of a three-year federal grant for teacher quality enhancement in New Mexico, has taken a leadership role in this collaboration and it would be beneficial that the council continue after federal funding ends; and

WHEREAS, the teacher education accountability council could serve as a conduit to bring educators from all education levels, businesses and community members together to create agreed-upon core learning goals to raise the bar of academic achievement for all students at all levels and improve New Mexico's educational system;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it recognize the teacher education accountability council as New Mexico's preschool through post-secondary education advisory council to provide guidance in the creation of aligned policy between public schools and higher education so that all students complete high school prepared to succeed in post-secondary education or the work place; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this council include within its membership community members and representatives from the public schools, two- and four-year institutions of higher education and businesses; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher education and the state department of public education develop a plan for the advisory council that requires the alignment of this work to be guided by the following long-term goals:

A. improve the achievement of New Mexico students at all levels of education, preschool through post-secondary programs;

B. upgrade teacher preparation programs through recruitment, preparation and professional development activities that are responsive to the objective of ensuring a quality teacher in every classroom for every student;

C. close the gaps in K-12 achievement and in access to post-secondary education between students from majority and minority groups and between students from high-and low-income groups;

D. focus the simultaneous reform of schools and teacher education on practices to bring preschool through post-secondary students from diverse groups to high levels of achievement;

E. eliminate the barriers and redundancy between schools and post-secondary institutions by aligning high school exit standards with college admissions standards so that high school graduates will be well prepared for college-level work and can move smoothly to the next level without requiring remediation; and

F. ensure that every adult and child in New Mexico is provided with opportunities to develop literacy; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state board of education and the commission on higher education be requested to establish an integrated preschool through post-secondary education data system, as part of this planning effort, to provide the data information necessary to follow and assess student progress in achieving identified goals; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission on higher education, the state board of education and the advisory council submit their plan and any recommendations deemed necessary for legislation to the legislative education study committee each year by November 1; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the executive director of the commission on higher education, the president of the state board of education and the director of the legislative education study committee for appropriate distribution.